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Got me tickets to Boston!


Foxfan

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I managed to get them online, front row, a little to the right, for the Saturday afternoon concert. If I can get off work for the Friday I'll probably get some cheaper tickets for Friday night too.

BTW, Saturday afternoon is the only time I've seen where most of the ORCH tickets aren't sold out already (the other concerts were listed for early group sales and got gobbled up).

Anyone else going?

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i got my tickets about 5-10minutes after they went on sale for the tuesday show :) very very excited, i'm coming from toronto and this will be my first time in boston, or seeing john williams. i managed to get pretty good seats, front row of the 1st balcony in the third column. I was originally opting for the center of the first balcony, but it seemed a little to far back, so went with the side instead!

ps. the orchestra for the tuesday show was already at row N :P the tickets are going sooo fast. I like the balcony though, i enjoy looking down at the performers.

i wonder if they'll have guest instrumentalists for sections of geisha? for perhaps a vocalist for munich?

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Welcome to the forum, fellow Canadian Bruuen.

If you like the concert as much as I liked my first one in Boston three years ago, you'll be going back every year like I've been doing. Certainly worth the trip! Symphony Hall is addictive!

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thanks for the welcome :P i just noticed you were from montreal after i posted! great to see other canadians making the treck down for this :) i've been a fan of williams for a long time and this is definately really exciting for me. I only found out about this concerts about 2 weeks ago, and immediately i knew i'd have to go! i'm graduating from university in the music program in april, and what better graduation gift then to see john williams :)

i wonder if there is much of a 'youth' (ppl under 30) presence at these shows?

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Foxfan, I just easily got ORCH tix for Thursday May 11 and Tuesday May 16. I plan to be at the Friday concert as well. Afternoon concerts are usually bad because there's lots of kids there.

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I wasn't too happy that it was an afternoon concert, but it is the only day that I might be available to go down to the beantown.

At least I'm sitting ORCH front row, so I won't see any "kids" in front of me... :P

I'm still thinking of maybe getting balcony seats for Friday night if I can get that day off.

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I've been coming down from Montreal for the past three years, so you can make the trip, nightscape.

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Does anyone know anybody at Boston University that could get tickets for the Saturday May 13th evening concert? They bought out the whole place! Since I'll be there for the afternoon concert, it would be fun to go a second time that evening.

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i guess i probably didn't need to rush as much as i did :(

on the brightside though, i'm very happy with the tickets we got, so its worth it. Anything good on the floor is gone now too (only the very front and very back left) i'm getting really excited, especially now that university is almost done!

foxfan: since you've been to boston 3 times b4, what must i do while i'm here? any recommended restaurants? (that won't kill my bank)

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What I recommend is getting a pass for one of those hop-on/hop-off tour bus services at Aquarium station. That will take you around everywhere and they'll tell you all about the various sites. The tour guides will make their own recommendations of where you should eat or visit.

If you were a fan of Boston Public (as I was), you might want to go over to East Boston (Maverick station), walk up to White street and see East Boston High School (where they filmed the exterior shots for the show), as well as go down to Doyle's restaurant in Jamaica Plain (south part of Boston).

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  • 1 month later...

Can anyone in Boston find out if the program details got released? I can't wait until next Saturday!!!

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i'm very excited aswell, after checking the BSO website today, it appears that almost all the seats except for a few crappy ones are gone. This is definately a once in a life time opportunity for me to see the legendary john williams, and i'm looking very forward to it, especially to give me inspiration in my own music writing :)

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I'm very jealous. I'm originally from Boston but live in California now. Couldn't afford tickets back home for the show this time. :)

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Still no hint of program details?

Since this is a "John Williams Spectacular" concert instead of the usual "Hooray for Hollywood" or "Film Night", I wonder if there will be some JW concert fanfares as well. I only started listening to the Liberty Fanfare recently and it's a piece I hope I'll have the chance to hear in concert.

I can't wait to see what film scores he'll play (in addition to Star Wars, Geisha, and Munich)! I have the impression we'll hear more of his own work in this one than in other concerts I've been to in the past three years where he seemed to be obsessed with doing tributes to Hermann and others. PLEASE play Hook again!!!

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Someone has to sneak a good digital audio recorder in...if Williams does Battle Of The Heroes with out the choir I'd love to hear that....

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Im going with my friend on May 16th and extremely psyched! Hoping to hear Munich and Star Wars. Im curious as to what kind of music they will play from Memoirs. Hoping to hear Jurassic Park also. Either way, this will be something to remember.....

just like when I met john williams at Pittsfield last summer:)

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No luck getting the program yet, although I'm going to all the concerts except the BU Night so the latest I'll know is Tuesday or something like that. Looking forward to seeing all of you (again, in some cases). Foxfan, how many concerts have we actually met up at now? I've lost count.

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I’m going to the 3pm Saturday show. I'd love to get an autograph. Where should I go? What door should I hang out at? Would he even be leaving because of the night show? Any hints you guys/gals would be willing to share?

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if someone could send a shout of the program in here that would be amazing...i'm not going til the last show, so it'll be nice to see what i'm in for :)

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Well, I did a bit of digging on the BSO site and found a press release with some more program details:

John Williams has been a Symphony Hall favorite for more than 25 years. Following a season's absence, the Academy Award-winning film composer and conductor returns to the Boston Pops podium for five concerts immediately following Opening Night at Pops. These performances - at 8 p.m. on May 11, 12, 13, and 16, and at a special 3 p.m. matinee on May 13 - feature some of Mr. Williams' best-known and beloved compositions, including music from Star Wars, the Harry Potter series, Hook, and Empire of the Sun, as well as a suite from his Golden Globe Award-winning score to Memoirs of a Geisha, with Boston Pops Principal Cellist Martha Babcock and Boston Pops Concertmaster Tamara Smirnova as soloists Mr. Williams also leads a salute to "Monsters, Beauties & Heroes" - with music from King Kong, Jaws, Casablanca, Superman, and others, accompanied by film clips from these classic films - and a tribute to three of Hollywood's great composers, Jerry Goldsmith (Star Trek the Motion Picture), David Raksin (Laura, here featuring Ms. Smirnova as soloist), and Elmer Bernstein (The Magnificent Seven).

THEY'RE PLAYING HOOK!!! :)

It's a little disappointing they're doing the three tribute pieces (the same as Tanglewood last summer), but the rest is AMAZING!!!

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Awesome... I'm really looking forward to this. We've just talked about all of these scores in my film music class.

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I'll be there saturday matinee 3rd row orchestra more to the left stage.

I'm sooo excited ... what a way to end a week of finals!

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I'll be there this Thursday and next Tuesday. I'm planning on showing up really early to see if I can find JW beforehand (this almost worked two years ago -- he went inside 1 minute before I got there!). And of course, I'm staying afterwards, to see if he will take pictures / sign autographs. The past years he has been too tired.

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Sorry but I had to put this quote...

"I bought tickets to Boston and Boston is where I'd like to go." - Craig Toomy

"Shut up." - Nick Hopewell

The Langoliers.

hehe... :P

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Needless to say, I will not be attending any of the concerts in Boston. It's really not all that far out of reach, so if Williams does this again next year, I will most likely attend. Anyway, the NY concert was enough to tide me over for the time being. Although, I kinda wanted to hear the suite, which he did not do at NY.

Tim

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I'll be there on the 16th for what seems to be an amazing concert. As far as meeting JW, you gotta know someone to get backstage....

Hopefully my friend from NEC will be able to hook me up

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I'll be there on the 16th for what seems to be an amazing concert. As far as meeting JW, you gotta know someone to get backstage....

Hopefully my friend from NEC will be able to hook me up

Why will your friend from NEC be able to hook you up?

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So here's tonight's program, as related by Kevin (aka diskobolus). Looks like a good one, with some unconventional selections....enjoy it, everyone who's fortunate enough to be there!

"A Postcard to Boston" from A Hymn to New England

Three Pieces from Star Wars

"Main Title and Blockade Runner"

"Anakin's Theme"

"The Imperial March"

Three Pieces from Harry Potter

"Hedwig's Theme"

"Aunt Marge's Waltz"

"Harry's Wondrous World"

"Jims New Life" from Empire of the Sun

Three Pieces from Memoirs of a Geisha

"Sayuri's Theme"

"The Chairman's Waltz"

"Brush on Silk"

"Flight to Neverland" from Hook

"Monsters, Beauties, and Heroes"

(King Kong, Jaws, Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, Robin Hood, Superman)

Cinema Paradiso

Tribute to Goldsmith, Raskin, and Bernstein

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Laura

The Magnificent Seven

"The Olympic Spirit"

Encores? (most likely possibilities: E.T., Raiders, Mission Theme from NBC)

Noticeably absent is Munich, which I believe was supposed to have been performed.

Ray Barnsbury - who'd like to be there

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I'm pretty impressed with the selection. Plus, the three Star Wars pieces keep the door open for the full Star Wars symphony being performed in August (so it's not like we'll be hearing exactly the same thing twice).

The only small gripe I have is that he put the tributes at the end. I would have been happier if they would have gotten them "over with" at the beginning. Of course, if there are some good Williams encores it'll make up for it.

Also, I have never heard "Olympic Spirit", so that will be a good new piece to hear.

I CAN'T WAIT!!!

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The concert was great!!! Two encores (Indiana Jones, ET) in addition to the program posted above.

2 pictures of me with JW (one before the concert, and one after). Thanks to Kevin for taking them.

http://mit.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2007...b3ae1&id=701533

I'm going again next Tuesday...

PS Olympic Spirit is also known as the 1988 Olympic Theme.

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Excellent concert. For those going to the BU Night concert on Saturday night, instead of Empire of the Sun, Memoirs, and Hook, he'll be doing March from 1941; Theme from Sugarland Express; Swing, Swing, Swing; Concerto for Clarinet; Clarissima (Go B.U.)

Correction to the program I relayed to Ray:

The first piece is its own entire piece, "A Hymn to New England" (found on "American Journey") and that selection was nicknamed "A Postcard to Boston."

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thanks for the replies guys, getting me very excited seeing the actual program...i agree with foxfan that i wish the tributes were at the beginning to save more of the goodies til the end. But the encores will definately make up for that!!! a little bit disappointed there isn't a single track from munich, but it looks like a solid lineup.

ps. how'd you find john williams for the photos? since i'm coming from toronto, it'd be quite amazing to have the opportunity to meet him while there.

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2 pictures of me with JW (one before the concert, and one after).  Thanks to Kevin for taking them.

http://mit.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2007...b3ae1&id=701533

I'm so jealous that you got to meet JW. Twice in one night, no less! I seriously need to take "Stalking John Williams 101". :) I've seen him perform 5 times, and have yet to meet him in person.

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The best bet is to wait around the stage exit door (north side of the hall) after the concert. You'll be standing out in the cold (45 F), damp, misty (or rainy, depending on which day you go) weather for an hour or so before he comes out. The past years I did this, but he came out, said he was too tired, thanked us for waiting, and then left. This year, he spent about 10 or 15 minutes with the 25 or so "die-hard" fans that stayed. He shook everyone's hand, signed things, and posed for photos.

ps. how'd you find john williams for the photos? since i'm coming from toronto, it'd be quite amazing to have the opportunity to meet him while there.
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Since he has a later concert that night, you may want to ask the stage managers what he will be doing. You should find out if he will actually be leaving before you go outside to wait.

Thanks Scott!  If I can muster the courage, I may give it a try on Saturday afternoon.
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thanks for the tip! it would definately be quite the honour to meet him!

ps. how was 'brush of silk' from memoirs? i'm surprised to see that on the bill, it would definately be a cool song to hear live.

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A full, formal review of the concert will come in a few days.

The Meeting John Williams Report

The best way to meet Williams is to wait after the concert at the stage door at the end of the hall. While people sometimes wait outside for him to arrive, this is not a good way to meet him since he has little time before the start of the concert, and his driver has said he prefers not to meet people beforehand.

FRIDAY - Roughly two dozen people waited for Williams to emerge afterwards, and after some time we were told he would quickly greet us on his way out. We proceeded outside to the external stage door next to his waiting Lincoln Towncar, BSO-1. We watched as ushers left, likely returning to Berklee or NEC. Tamara Smirnova and Martha Babcock, soloists, left while we waited and people congratulated them on an excellent performance. After roughly forty-five minutes, Williams came out to great applause. He took photos with people and graciously signed autographs, even though it was dark and rainy.

SATURDAY - With much experience waiting for Williams, I decided just to linger around in the hope he would show up. My goal was to obtain a more aesthetic photograph that wasn't taken outside, and I had also brought Azkaban to be signed just in case. After about fifteen minutes, only a small group of people remained, half of which were led backstage by a man who was presumably family. Then the man guarding the door actually opened it and started to usher people inside. I had never seen this after a half dozen times of waiting for Williams there. Soon I found myself backstage and going upstairs.

About a dozen of us stood there, waiting outside Williams' personal dressing room. I was stunned at this tremendous fortune. One by one, he signed autographs and took photos, chatting with each person. As a few people know, trying to speak intelligibly to one's personal lifelong idol is difficult at best. Stammering through, I told him that A.I. was my favorite of his scores, and in particular I mentioned the Reunion theme as his most beautiful melody. He then signed my Azkaban CD cover and graciously posed for photos with me in front of his piano, which was covered with sheet music. Still stunned at the surrealism of all this, I took more photos of his piano, the nameplate on the door of the dressing room, and the conductor's stand from backstage.

The one thing all people realize when they meet Williams is his incredible humbleness. However inspiring his music is, his kindness towards strangers who love his music is simply overwhelming.

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Well, I'm posting this from an internet cafe while waiting for the 3pm concert. I have to say that today is probably THE most horrible day to be in Boston (rainy, windy, cold, etc).

I guess I'll see some of you at Symphony Hall later...

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For audio, the Saturday concert was broadcast live on WCRB in Boston. I hope someone recorded it.

As for meeting John Williams after the show, it wasn't possible after the Saturday afternoon concert (he had to go eat and be back for the next show), I'm glad to report that I was able to meet with Maestro after the second show. We were only three people waiting in the lobby, so just like Diskolobus, I was invited to the dressing room for a photo near the piano and an autograph!

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